Cicadas, Cicada Killer Wasp, Herons And A More Wildlife : Another Summer Nature Hike In the Susquehanna Wetlands
Summer is at it’s peak here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. And, as usual, the heat and humidity bring about an abundance of life and wildlife activity in our woodlands, especially in our wetlands. I enjoy my hikes in the Susquehanna Wetlands in Luzerne County since they are so alive in the Spring and Summer months. They remind me of one of my favorite destinations on the planet to enjoy nature, the Florida Everglades. Life likes heat and humidity. So I returned to the wetlands early last Saturday to see what I can see and share some photos here on my blog.
It was mostly cloudy when I arrived at the wetlands around 7a.m. I decided to park my Jeep near the entrance to the wetlands, at the Water Fowl Pond. I walked to the pond, and , as always hoping to see a bald eagle or at least some ducks or herons. 
There were some wood ducks on a log on the pond, 
but as usual they took off as soon as they saw me approach. 
On Saturday I wanted to walk into the wetlands on the access road. The gate to the parking lot is closed in the Winter months so I walk the 1/2 mile to the parking lot and trailhead. I often see many winter resident birds on my Winter hikes. . I wanted to see if any birds were living in the woodlands along the road in the Summer. 
And I soon found out there were, and many were the same birds I see in the Winter months. I first saw this male northern cardinal that had captured an inset for an early morning meal.
Song sparrows, 
and Carolina wrens were singing in the trees along the trail. These birds will all remain here when Summer ends. 
I also saw a few noisy gray catbirds,
and this female American redstart on my walk to the parking lot. Both of these birds will migrate south for the Winter. 
There were some Summer wildflowers blooming along the road, including beebalm,
spotted Joe-Pye weed and 
early goldenrod, all native wildflowers. 
Invasive bounding-bet flowers also added some color to the woodlands. 
I walked to the parking lot and then, as is my usual routine, down to the Susquehanna River. 
This week the eastern cottontail rabbit were back. there was about a half dozen of them in the grassy picnic area neat the parking lot. 
I walked into the wetlands and, under the towering red maple, sycamore and oaks trees I heard the distinctive warm weather sound of the annual cicadas. I love hearing their high pitched buzzing or whining calls. It is one of my favorite sounds in nature. Sadly, it is also a sign our Summer is approaching it’s end. 
I walked over to the Water Fowl Pond and, along the now duck weed covered ponds and canals,
on the way saw a few more wood ducks on one of the canals. 
I saw at least three families of these beautiful birds, but usually the young ducklings swim to safety while the parents stay back allowing me to get some photos. 
I also saw this northern flicker perched in a tree top,
a downy woodpecker, 
a swamp sparrow,
and this colorful eastern blue bird were also nearby.
I walked to the Water Fowl Pond but there was no wildlife on the pond, 
so I began my one mile hike toward the river lands. On the way I saw this red squirrel perched in a tree. 
The clouds began to clear and the sun shone in the wetlands as I continued my hike,
seeing another fury critter on the way, this muskrat feeding on some duck weed. 
I saw a few more birds in the woodlands along the trail including this marsh wren, 
eastern phoebe and
this American goldfinch. It was a already very active day for the birds and other wildlife in the wetlands and would get even more active. 
I next saw this green heron perched on a branch over a canal.
It didn’t fly off but remained perched on the branch contorting it’s long neck as I watched,
until it finally decided to fly off to a better fishing spot. 
While watching the green heron I also noticed a yellow jackets nest hanging over the water. 
It took a few tosses of some branches but I finally got the attention of the yellow jackets. Luckily they were not able to identify the disturber of their nest. 
Also near their nest was this duck weed covered bull frog 
and painted turtle.
A green frog was sitting near a puddle along the trail, 
and I saw a family of great blue herons on the canal. They flew away, all but this one that first perched high on a tree tops, 
before flying off with the rest of the family.
I continued my hike toward the river land. listing to the cicadas singing in the tree tops. 
I saw this gray squirrel feeding on the first hazelnuts of the season. 
There were more signs of the advancing Summer along the trail, including a large crop of ripening blackberries,
poison ivy berries, 
and these one lush skunk cabbages, now withered and decayed that heralded the Spring a few months ago. 
The July sun was now shinning and had warmed the cooler morning when I walked into the river lands, 
and along Lake Took-A-While. The temperature was now above 80 degrees and the wildlife activity quieted down I did see a few dragonflies, including this blue dasher dragonfly, 
and, the cicada killer wasps were now buzzing along the trail. These large wasps seem threatening but are actually very docile. They feed exclusively on cicadas. 
I saw no more birds along the lake, not even the large flock of Canada geese that have been on the lake all summer were around. I did see some more wildflower in bloom including native white meadowsweet flowers,
and invasive bull thistle,
and St. John’s worth flowers. 
As usual, I walked to the end of the lake where I started back to the wetlands. 
On the way I saw this yellow warbler,
a few American robins, and 
this pretty yellow throated vireo.
It clouded up again, but it was still hot and humid as I made my way back to the wetlands. 
Back in the wetlands I saw a few of the birds I had seen and photographed earlier, and this bird, a brown thrasher. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with more photos of the herons and other birds I saw on my hike. Susquehanna Wetlands birds July 20 2024. 
I finished my 7 mile hike in the wetlands seeing two more critters along the way, another painted turtle, 
and this eastern chipmunk. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with more photos from my seven mile hike in the wetlands . Susquehanna Wetlands birds July 20 2024.
I was tired and hot at the end of my hike but I enjoyed seeing so much life in the wetlands and river lands, and sharing some of it here on my blog. Summer, sadly, is quickly approaching it’s peak, and the cooler temperatures and shorter days will again be upon us, and the migratory birds will head south. Until then I hope to keep hiking in the wetlands and sharing the beauty I find. 
“Life is the blossoming of flowers in the spring, the ripening of fruit in the fall, the rhythm of the earth and of nature. Life is the cry of cicadas signaling the end of summer, migratory birds winging south in a transparent autumn sky, fish frolicking in a stream. Life is the joy beautiful music installs in us, the thrilling sight of a mountain peak reddened by the rising sun, the myriad combinations and permutations of visible and invisible phenomena. Life is all things.” Daisaku Ikeda
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